Is Palestine really safe? This is a question that many visitors of Palestine and Israel, including international volunteers, interns, Arabic students and their families ask when someone is considering coming to Palestine specifically, the West Bank or to The Excellence Center in Hebron.
We understand that people including students, visitors, volunteers and tourists are concerned about safety and the security situation in the West Bank as the international news and media paint a picture of the situation in Palestine as being very tense and sometimes dangerous.
The news agencies do not always present an accurate view of life in Palestine, or specifically the West Bank. Of course, as an Occupied zone, Palestine has its problems and complications but generally speaking, international visitors can enjoy a safe trip. We will aim to address some of your worries and answer some frequently asked questions in this article.
Frequently asked questions about Safety in Palestine
- What is the real safety situation in the West Bank?
- The security situation in the West Bank?
- Is Palestine really safe to visit?
- Is Palestine a dangerous place to travel to?
- Is Palestine safe for Americans or tourists?
- I am visiting Israel and I am thinking of coming to the West Bank but I am wondering if it is safe there?
- I have never been to Palestine but I am aware of the everlasting tense situation. How will this affect me?
- What is Palestine travel advice?
These are the type of questions that we get asked regularly. Before we discuss and give you detailed information, we would like to keep it short and give you the answer to your questions: The region of Palestine has not been stable for the last few decades, there is always unrest and war, sometimes it becomes more volatile and at other times it’s calmer. Nonetheless, each year millions of tourists visit Palestine and the West Bank including Hebron, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jenin, Nablus and many other cities without any safety issues. Palestinians in general are welcoming and hospitable people. They recognize that the politics of a country and its people may differ.
Since it was formed in 2011, The Excellence Center has welcomed over 1000 international visitors. These visitors lived and worked in Hebron for a few weeks or months. Overall they did not face any threat nor were they unsafe in Hebron or the West Bank.
Many misconceptions about safety in Palestine
We expect these sorts of questions and they should be asked before you embark on travel to Palestine as most people are only aware of its conflict, war, tense clashes and many other unfavourably reported issues.
However, while these matters cannot be denied, they are only one aspect of the multifaceted location that is Palestine. We want people to understand the other side of the story about Palestine, that is the story that rarely appears in most of the media. The majority of people only know Palestine through media channels such as CNN, BBC, Aljazeera, Fox News and other like organizations.
The news agencies report from Palestine during periods of unrest but the day to day life of its citizens, the friendly welcome received by visitors, the beautiful natural landscape, the rich creativity, culture and cuisine are all sadly overlooked. As a result of this and the negative image portrayed in much of the media, many people are wary of visiting Palestine. We hope that by providing you with the facts, we can change this for the better!
Palestine is considered to be a medium safe destination- you can check the safety rating of Palestine and other countries here: https://www.internationalsos.com/risk-outlook
Palestine is not only the Gaza Strip!
First, we should be clear that Palestine is not only the Gaza strip. We would agree with many commentators that the situation in Gaza is not advisable for travellers or tourists due to a number of wars over the past 15 years. It is very difficult to enter Gaza, requiring special permission from the Israeli Authorities, and this permission is not easy to obtain.
The security situation in the West Bank, Palestine
However, the safety and security situation in the West Bank is very different from the one in Gaza. Palestinians who live in the West Bank have a much more stable life than Palestinians in Gaza. Unfortunately, people in Gaza face a lot of problems and difficulties due to the Israeli siege and Occupation.
In the West Bank, there is no “Military resistance” like the situation in Gaza, which makes it safer for Internationals and generally much less tense and stressful. The West Bank is under Israeli Occupation and although this causes some difficulties and inconvenience, daily life continues as normal. Those most greatly affected are the Palestinian people. International visitors do not usually have any problems.
Palestine hosts tourists from all over the world
This has been the situation for the last 10 years and many foreigners visit Palestine, especially during the summer. Palestine has been hosting not only tourists who come for short visits but also foreign workers who are employed mostly with large companies or Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) all over the West Bank. This would not be possible if the region was considered to be unsafe.
Furthermore, many people including tourists plan daily visits and trips to the West Bank cities during their stay in Israel. From Jerusalem, you can easily access any city in Palestine. Transportation is available 7 days a week. So, it is strongly recommended that you pay a visit to the West Bank during your time in Israel to see life on the other side.
Safety at night in the West Bank `
It’s GENERALLY safe to walk around at night in any city of the West Bank including Hebron. However it’s always best to avoid areas that lack crowds of people and in particular the one which is under Israeli control where the settlers live. Do as you would at home and avoid them if you are walking around by yourself. We would recommend that you take a taxi instead of walking home by yourself at night.
Many international organizations work in Palestine
There are 262 Non-profit Organizations represented in Palestine. They are either local or international organizations and they work in fields such as medical relief, community development, agricultural relief and Human rights to name but a few.
This simply means that many foreigners come to Palestine for travel or work. Most of them engage with the local community, enjoying the generosity and welcoming hospitality of the Palestinian people.
Many internationals come to volunteer or intern in Palestine yearly
People from all over the world also come to volunteer in Palestine in different fields. There are lots of volunteering opportunities, giving you the chance to put your skills to good use. You will find that you are able to develop your existing skills and further expand your knowledge. Education is a key option for many people. Our international visitors either come to teach English, study Arabic, organize social activities or hold workshops in a variety of subjects. There are various programmes throughout the West Bank for volunteers. These include opportunities in:
Agriculture: this could entail helping to plant olive trees and pick olives at harvest time.
Construction: undertaking tasks such as helping to rebuild damaged houses and improving kitchen facilities, sanitation etc.
Education: International volunteers are an important asset and can help in the development of foreign language skills. It can also be beneficial to volunteers, allowing them to enhance their teaching skills and gain experience by conducting language classes with students from primary to university levels. Many programmes, including those offered at the Excellence Center provide volunteers with the opportunity to learn Arabic in exchange for teaching their native language to students.
Healthcare: medical professionals and students are highly sought after. There are opportunities to volunteer in hospitals, clinics and also to deliver training courses.
Humanitarian work: focusing on human development and humanitarian issues. This can involve work in refugee camps, helping to improve the facilities and infrastructure in order to improve the living conditions of the residents.
The Excellence Center volunteers also have the chance to stay with a host family where they get to know and ‘live’ the culture of Palestinian people, make friendships with the community members and taste delicious Palestinian food. Our visitors are able to see that people in Palestine live a normal daily life just like any other person around the globe. You will find some differences but also many similarities between yourself and the Palestinians you meet. This is an excellent way to connect with people, share experiences and sample a different culture.
Where and when does tension happen in Palestine?
It is a fact that at times tension does happen in this really tight geographical area. Tension usually occurs in the south of Palestine more than any other part. This does not mean that the south is not a safe place but tensions arise from time to time and in specific areas where Israeli settlers live. As you might be aware, there are almost 600,000 Jewish settlers who live illegally on the Palestinian territories in the West Bank.
For example, in Hebron, approximately 600 Jewish people live in the old city occupying 20% of the area of the whole city. From time to time there are emerging tensions in this specific area, but this does not affect the daily life of the people of Hebron city, which is known as the economic capital of Palestine.
It is advisable to arrange to visit Palestine’s towns and cities with a local guide or someone who knows the area well and is therefore able to avoid any potential flashpoints. However if you do travel alone, you will be reasonably safe. The important points to remember are to be aware of your surroundings, keep updated on current events so that you will know if any issues are arising and be able to avoid them.
What About Checkpoints in Palestine?
As you may also know, within Palestine, there are a number of Israeli checkpoints. These Checkpoints are commonplace and the military presence in occupied Palestine is pervasive, but problems affecting visitors to Palestine are very rare. They were made only for controlling the Palestinains, as an international, you can easily cross them.
Although there may be occasional traffic delays related to checkpoints, visitors to Palestine are usually able to move freely throughout the West Bank cities.
During times of increased tension international visitors need to be aware of the situation and use common sense to avoid some areas or routes due to clashes or road closures. The local and public transportation operators are familiar with these problems and they adapt to travel accordingly.
Conflict may happen during demonstrations or protests. Other than this, life in the West Bank is normal where people have their own businesses and they enjoy their life normally.
Final Conclusion about safety in Palestine
There is no place on earth where your safety can be 100% guaranteed and in fact some people even say that they feel safer in Palestine than in their own country. Traditional media shows a small representation of reality and does not show you the real-life that Palestinian people live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
One piece of advice from us, is that you do not participate in any demonstrations or political actions during your time in the West Bank, Palestine, in this way you may enjoy the full length of your stay.
For women travellers, walking alone at night is not recommended, it is advisable to be with a group of other people. Try to avoid walking after 10:00pm, if you have to go somewhere after this time, take a taxi or go with someone who is local.
The reality of the generosity and hospitality of the Palestinian people is why so many international visitors who came to visit, study or work in Palestine want to come again and again and they do so without any safety concerns. We would love to welcome even more visitors to Palestine and for them to share their experience with friends and family, helping to raise awareness of this amazing place.
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